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Enrollment Numbers Short of Anticipated Target

Courtesy of houghton.edu

With the start of the Fall 2013 semester came approximately 280 incoming students, a number that falls just below the anticipated enrollment target and consequentially may elicit questions concerning the welfare of Houghton College.

“The goal for the past couple years would aim for around 300 to 400 students,” said Ryan Spear, Assistant Director of Admissions, establishing the fact that the actual number of new students coming to Houghton this fall follows a trend of low enrollment.

The total of first-year students, transfer students, and those returning to Houghton after taking time off for various reasons, comprises this enrollment number.

Spear acknowledged that Houghton, as a Liberal Arts institution and as a college in general, faces challenges in regards to consistently bringing in students.  “If you look at the media, a lot of the news stories out there are challenging that college is even worth it,” he said, “…that’s one thing that has been a challenge, not just for Houghton, but for all institutions – proving that it is worth it.”

Eric Currie, the college’s new Vice President for Enrollment Management, added, “In some places and areas, education has turned into an expense, not a value… we have to help people see the tangible aspects and purpose in having an education at Houghton College, and for that matter, in Christian higher education.”

One example of Houghton’s recognition of this problem and approach to eliminate it, Currie later said, is that the college currently demonstrates its value in a new way, by investing in families for longer than what was previously normal.

“We take a proactive approach,” Currie said, “by allowing families to enter into in a longer process or journey that has been normal in the application process… Now with the financial pressures that are out there, we see that we have to have a greater persistence.”

That persistence carries over to other areas of enrollment as well.  Spear identifies another obstacle the college faces in bringing in students, and how persistence in that may produce different results as well.

“There are things that are happening locally, regionally, nationally, and globally that all affect enrollment at Houghton College,” said Spear.  “One of these trends is that more and more students are studying closer to home, and Western New York has experienced a population decline during the past few years or decades.”

Another one of Houghton’s marketing and enrollment strategies to counteract trends which may hurt the college’s enrollment is to contact specific types of students, such as those currently enrolled in a community college, who may plan on transferring to a four-year institution like Houghton.

“We have moved into some deeper relationships and partnerships with some community colleges in the area,” said Currie while considering one way in which Houghton works to bring in more students in the future.

In the end, both Currie and Spear agreed that Houghton College faces its challenges in appealing to incoming students and in competing with other education or career-oriented options, yet both expect and currently see positive outcomes.

Although enrollment numbers fall on lower ground than Houghton hopes, Spear remained confident.  “It’s a challenge for Houghton to recruit – that’s for sure,” he said. “But we think that God is using Houghton in a powerful way in the world.”

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News

Field of Solar Panels: Houghton to Install Green Technology

Houghton College plans to build an 11-acre solar panel installation in the Field of Dreams. The panels will reduce the College’s dependence on non-renewable sources of electricity by supplying over 50% of the energy that the College uses annually. The project is set to begin construction in December with completion by the end of Spring Semester 2014.

“As a signatory to the President’s Climate Commitment, Houghton has committed itself to carbon neutrality by 2050. This solar project, and the accompanying purchase of renewable energy certificates, represents our first major step toward achieving that goal,” said Brian Webb, Sustainability Coordinator for Houghton College, adding,“The clean energy produced by this array is the equivalent of annually burning 1,500 fewer tons of coal or removing 400 cars from the road.”

The President’s Climate Commitment is a collective effort by almost 700 colleges in the United States to reduce carbon emissions and imbue upon students the importance of protecting our natural ecology. A school that has signed the Commitment agrees to take inventory of their carbon emissions, set a target date for becoming climate neutral, take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and integrate sustainability into the educational experience.

This solar installation is one part of Houghton’s commitment. The array will be constructed in the Field of Dreams, north of the playing fields. As it will replace the hay fields currently occupying the area, it is not expected to obstruct the playing area. The array will be surrounded by a chain-link fence and each panel will be elevated 9 feet above ground level. It will be one of the largest installations on a college campus in New York State. At press time, the installation of the panels has been reviewed and confirmed at local, county, and state levels. The College is in the process of acquiring permits to begin construction.

Courtesy of maximumsurvival.net
Courtesy of maximumsurvival.net

Houghton is working with Smart Energy Capital (SEC) to assemble the installation. SEC will fund the building of the installation, which will be constructed by Borrego Solar. The panels will be owned and operated by SEC. Their construction will not be a direct cost to the college; rather, the College is in contract with SEC to purchase the energy generated by the panels for the next 25 years. Any surplus energy generated by the panels will be sold by the school to Rochester Gas & Electric at market value. After the 25-year contract expires, Houghton will have the option to bid for and purchase the panels themselves.

The opportunity to build the panels comes as a result of a Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative which provides $46 million for large-scale solar projects. This grant will cover much of the construction costs for the array and ensure that Houghton will get a reasonable fixed rate for the energy produced.

Houghton’s ecological sustainability, including the installation of these panels, is managed by the Creation Care Committee. The Committee’s mission is to reduce the carbon footprint of the College. It accomplishes this by reducing both use of non-renewable resources and waste production. It also works to educate students and faculty about our local and global environment.

Beyond the installation of the solar panels, the Creation Care Committee is working on several other initiatives. These include updating the HVAC systems in campus buildings, increasing the energy efficiency of the school, and exploring alternative energy resources such as wind and geothermal.

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Sports

New Tennis Teams are a Hit

Men’s and women’s tennis are welcomed this fall as the two newest teams on campus. Both teams are practicing hard as they begin their inaugural year headed by Coach Charlie Ellis.

“I have come from the corporate world of tennis club and fitness club management. My management of clubs has gone back as far as 18-20 years,” said Coach Ellis, “I feel very fortunate to be working with Skip Lord and Matthew Webb; those men have been extraordinarily supportive of me.”

Bethany Chesebro, sophomore, returns the ball to her opponent.
Bethany Chesebro, sophomore, returns the ball to her opponent.

Under Ellis’s direction, the women began their training two weeks prior to classes along with the rest of the fall athletes, while the men started training this past week. The women have competed in several matches already and are 2-3 overall. While there are thirteen women on the team, not all are able to travel for every match.

“This is a tennis team and even the ones that aren’t playing on that particular day are still important, even the ones that don’t go on the road trips,” said Coach Ellis, “This is a group of girls who have come together and they have established a relationship with each other that is unprecedented. They are extraordinarily supportive of each other to play as a team and to serve their Lord.”

“For almost all of us, it is our first time being a Houghton athlete,” said junior Molly Freihofer, “So while we have had to learn a lot, the process of forming the first women’s tennis team was something we were all excited about and have really enjoyed.”

At a tournament, six single matches are played and three doubles, each counting as one point. Thus, there is a total of nine points to be earned in a college tennis match. The winner must win five or more of those points.

The women were down 4-1 against Medaille on September 5th, but fought to win each subsequent game. The men have played one match thus far, against Penn State Behrend. It was a close competition, as the men lost 5-4.

Junior Brennen Campbell expressed the men’s goals: “To have the highest overall team GPA of Houghton Athletics, to make an impression on the opponents that we face throughout the season, and to build the Houghton tennis program to be one that will be recognized as a competitive Empire 8 program.”

Each player has come in with a different level of playing experience. While the teams are training athletically to improve and fine-tune their skills, they are also encouraging each other spiritually. The women have devotions led by chaplains and prayer partners, while the men emphasize prayer before and after they meet to compete.

“The team has been getting along really well. Everyone’s personality works together to form the disciplined team that we have this year,” said Campbell, “No matter the skill level, everyone is willing to help improve their fellow teammates.”

“They have responded very well to my coaching, my direction, as well as the understanding that we are about to embark on another journey, of Houghton tennis,” said Coach Ellis, “And we want to set a culture and footprint off the right foot. The girls and boys have responded very well to understanding the gravity of that.”